Blog – Macs Adventure

Adventure of the Week: Walking in the Heart of Norway

6 Feb , 2019

The North always has a mystique about it, no matter where you live. Up in the north, things are colder, more extreme, a different way of life rules. The world’s last great wilderness resides in the north and stretches right around the globe, much of it forming the Northern Boreal Forest. This largely untouched natural wonder has been left alone, and here things work pretty much the way they always have. To explore this region, you are leaving behind the modern world and immersing yourself in a more tranquil, more simple way of life. Dip your toe into the foothills of the Northern Boreal Forest on our Walking in the Heart of Norway trip.

In a Nutshell:

Where: This trip begins in Norway’s capital city Oslo, where you can soak up all the attractions of Europe’s Green City 2019, before heading off to the wilderness. The next day you board a train and are whisked north, toØigardseter, a mountain lodge located in Rondane National Park. From here you will leave behind this tiny last frontier of civilisation and walk out through pure wilderness to stay in a series of remote mountain huts that dot the wide-open landscape.

Distance: With this trip, there is a set amount of distance involved, but also some flexibility. You can walk as little as 28km, or up to 50km depending on how you are feeling. You spend a couple of nights at each lodge, so if you are not feeling like taking a day’s loop walk, just relax at the lodge and revel in the tranquility.

Grade: This trip is graded as Easy to Moderate. While it sounds like a big tough, remote adventure, the actual physical activity is pretty easy going. Distances range from 6km to 14.5 km (optional hike up to 16.5 km) on relatively easy-going terrain. Paths are a mixture of rocky and grassy trails and mountain roads. The ascent/descent is reasonable, ranging between 50m and 600m each day.

Why Walk Here?

I may have mentioned this once or twice already, but escaping the world is one of the major reasons to take this trip. While we all have access to countryside, it is rare to be able to access actual wilderness, where at night there is no distant sound of passing cars, or streetlights tainting the sky. This trip provides nature in its purest form, a land away from people, a place to reconnect to the world. While this all sounds a bit hippy-dippy, there is a great deal of scientific research to back up the health benefits of doing just this.

Part of this reconnection with nature is the wildlife that you will discover. Rondane National Park is home to over 2000 wild reindeer, elk and musk ox. To see large grazing herds is a true wonder and something people generally only associate with the plains of Africa. There are many smaller mammals and birds, but due to the nature of the landscape, these tend to be a bit harder to spot. As far as flora goes, there is not a lot happening in Rondane, which adds to its stark natural beauty. This is a land of wide panoramic landscapes, framed by mountain peaks and a rich palatte of grays and greens.

The walks themselves take you up some of these mountains, affording views that will take your breath away, though not literally, they are not that high! Even from here, you will not see a hint of civilisation. Aside from your days walking, your accommodation hosts will be able to show you all about the natural features that surround you. If you fancy a shot at wild fishing, there is not much better spot in the world to do it and your hosts will be more than hapy to take you out on the river.

The food on the trip is another highlight. Because of its remote location, most of the food is locally sourced or forged, which means that the rustic traditional meals you will be eating in the mountain lodges will be super fresh and completely indicative of your surroundings. You will also stop off at Peer Gynt cabin where, rumour has it, that the best waffles in Norway are created. Not bad for the middle of nowhere.

Planning and Preparation

Everything is taken care of on your Walking in the Heart of Norway trip, so all you have to organise is getting to/from Oslo, we take care of the rest. Oslo is serviced from most UK airports, so the relaxed feel of the trip is upon you from the outset.

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By Ewan
A member of Macs Adventure's amazing marketing team, my passion in life is Snowboarding (apart from my family of course, should they happen to read this!) and have taken up mountain biking to fill the seasonal gap and keep me fit enough to spend as much time on the slopes as I can, come winter.